Projector

ABSTRACT

A projector comprising a lamp unit enclosing a concave reflector, a light source disposed at a vicinity of focus point of said reflector, a front lens secured at the open end of said reflector, and a retaining ring engaged to the peripheral edges of said lamp unit is mounted on a supporting frame by means of the adjusting screws and a coil spring which resiliently biasing said lamp unit to the frame. The frame is provided on its inner surface with projections which engage the outer surface of the reflector, whereby adjustment of the adjusting screws renders the lamp unit slidably movable so as to aim the optical axis without using a mounting ring.

United States Patent Suzuki et al.

[4 1 June 13, 1972 PROJECTOR 1,358,543 11/1920 Hardon 16/26 2,266,32912/1941 Mead et a1 ..240/4 1 .6 2,824,215 2/1958 Guff ..240/4 l .62,826,682 3/1958 Falge ..240/41.5 3,493,740 2/1970 Oaksen. 1240/41133,050,621 8/1962 Spencer .240/4 1 ,6

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser Assistant ExaminerEllis J. KochAttorney-Flynn & Frishauf [5 7] ABSTRACT A projector comprising a lampunit enclosing a concave reflector, a light source disposed at avicinity of focus point of said reflector, a front lens secured at theopen end of said reflector, and a retaining ring engaged to theperipheral edges of said lamp unit is mounted on a supporting frame bymeans of the adjusting screws and a coil spring which resilientlybiasing said lamp unit to the frame. The frame is provided on its innersurface with projections which engage the outer surface of thereflector, whereby adjustment of the adjusting screws renders the lampunit slidably movable so as to aim the optical axis without using amounting ring.

3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 13 1912 3. 6 70. 1 58 SHEET 1OF 4 PATENTEDJUMS m2 BEST AVAILABLE COPY 3.670.158

sum 30F 4 FATENTEDJUH13 2272 3,670,158

saw u 01- 4 PROJECTOR aimed with simplified construction.

In a device using lamps of a sealed beam type, such as headlights of anautomobile, the direction of radiation of beams is to be adjusted toform an angle of about 4 with respect to the ground, in addition toshock proof property, airtightness and so on, as required by theinternational standard of SAE (the Society of Automobile Engineers).

In a conventional sealed beam type lamp, the lamp unit comprises aconcave reflector, a light source disposed at a vicinity of focus pointof said reflector, a front lens secured at the open end of saidreflector, and a retaining ring engaged to said lamp unit.

The lamp unit is placed in a mounting ring which is secured by screws tothe retaining ring. The unit which is in the form of a single body withthe mounting ring is placed in a housing or supporting frame. Control ofthe angle of the lamp unit with respect to the vertical and horizontaldirections is effected by rotating adjustingscrews which connect theperipheral edge of the housing and the mounting ring at optionalpositions, thereby to fix the angle of radiation of beams with respectto the ground to comply with the standard.

The lamp of the above arrangement, however, requires a lengthy period oftime for assembly and is not of simplified construction and hence isexpensive, since a number of separate parts are involved, namely, thelight source unit is mounted on the mounting ring via the retainingring, and the mounting ring is then secured to the housing.

This invention eliminates these drawbacks and has its object to providea projector, simple in construction and easy to assemble, in which aplurality of projections formed on the inner surface of a frame forsupporting a lamp unit are in face contact with the rear surface of areflector included in said unit, and adjusting screws which connect aretaining ring for retaining said unit and the peripheral edge of thelamp unit are adjusted to cause the reflector to slidably move on saidprojections, whereby the angle of mounting said unit can be optionallyvaried to permit the direction of radiation of beams to form an anglecomplying with the standard; The frame may be fabricated bya syntheticresin material, so that the device will be easy to fabricate, light,inexpensive and easy to handle.

This invention can be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

.FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a projector embodyingthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section, partly broken away, taken along a lineIII-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross section, partly broken away, taken along a line lV-IVin FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation showing a supporting frame of thisinvention;

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along a line VI-VI in in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of the device shown in FIG.1

FIG. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modification of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross section, partly broken away, of a part ofthe device shown in FIG. 8; and

' FIG. 10 isa view similar to FIG. 8, showing a further modification ofthe invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lamp unit of a sealed beam typelamp 1 comprisesa concave reflector 2, a light source (not shown) disposed at a vicinityof focus point of said reflector 2 for forwardly reflecting a radiationbeam, a front lens 3 secured at the open end of said reflector 2, and aretaining ring 4 engaged to said lamp unit 1 at their outer peripheries.On the back of the reflector 2 are disposed ferrules 5 and 6 secured toterminal lugs 7 and 8 which in turn are to be connected to the terminalsof a source of power supply. The lamp unit is arranged such that thereflector 2 is freely received in a frame 9 made of a synthetic resinsuch as plastic so as toperrnit said ferules 5 and 6 and terminal lugs 7and 8 to extend backwardly from an opening 9a formed in said frame 9. Asupporting piece 10 is mounted on a predetermined portion of theretaining ring 4. Another supporting piece 11 is similarly disposed witha spacing from said supporting piece 10 approximately at with respect tothe axis of the retaining ring 4, as shown in FIG. .2 wherein likeportions are designated by the same reference numerals and a descriptionthereof is omitted.

The supporting pieces 10 and 11 are partly cut to form dents 10a and 11athrough which adjusting screws 12 threadably engage threaded bores 9bformed in the frame 9 in such a manner that the heads 12a thereof arerespectively retained by said dents 10a and 11a, thereby positivelymounting the lamp unit on the frame 9. The position of the unit at thetime of mounting may be determined by securing, as shown in FIG. 3, aprojection part 13 mounted on a predetermined portion of said lamp unit1 and said retaining ring 4. by the medium of a retaining piece 14. I

As shown in FIG. 4, on the outer periphery of the retaining ring 4 andat a portion between said supporting pieces 10 and 1 l is secured atongue piece 15 having a bore 15a which receives one end of a coiledspring 16 having its other end retained in a hole 9c formed in the frame9.

On the inner surface of the frame 9 are integrally formed a plurality ofequally spaced projections 17, say three as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Fromthe rear outer surface of the frame 9 are projected, for example, threebolts 18 whose one end is embedded in the frame and which act to supportthis projector device on the body portion of automobile or the like.

The projection 17 is fabricated by a synthetic resin material andillustrated in FIG. 7-in detail. As shown, each projection 17 has acontact surface 17a and a groove 17b, said contact surface contactingthe outer curved surface of the reflector 2. The projections 17pressingly support the reflector 2 inface contact with the outer surfacethereof by means of the adjusting screw 12 shown in FIG. 1 and the coilspring 16 of FIG. 4. Each groove 17b serves to define two projectingsections each having a thickness approximately equal to that of theframe 9 of the projection 17, whereby moulding distortion of the framewhich tends to be caused due to the difference in thickness of theprojection 17 and the frame may be eliminated. The provision of thegrooves 17b also serves to reduce a friction between the grooves 17 andthe frame 9 and allow the frame to slide smoothly. The portion of thereflector 2 of the sealed beam type lamp of the arrangement set forthabove is allowed to slide on the contact surfaces 17a of the projections17 by adjustably rotating the adjusting screws 12, whereby the angle ofmounting the lamp unit can be optionally aimed, and the angle withrespect to the vertical and horizontal directions of radiation of beamscan be selected to comply with the standard.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modification of the invention, wherein likeportions are indicated by the same reference numerals as used in FIG. 1and a description thereof is omitted.

On the rear surface of the reflector 2 are integrally formed a Iplurality of projecting strips 19 with approximately equal spacings (onebeing shown in FIG. 8). The outer surface of the strip 19 defines acurved surface whose curvature corresponds to an are having a radius Rfrom a point 0 of the lens 3, as

shown in the figure. The frame 9-is provided with bends 20 formed on theinner surface thereof at places respectively corresponding to saidplurality of projecting strips 19, and which have comers engaging saidstrips 19 in face to face relationship. The larnp unit is thus pressedlysupported to the frame 9 by means of the adjusting screws 12 and thecoil spring 16 having one end received by the bore 15a formed. in thetongue piece 15 and the other end connected to the inner portion of theframe 9.

Similarly in the foregoing modification, the lamp unit is permitted toslide on the bends 20 disposed in the frame 9 by adjustably screwing orunscrewing the adjusting screws 12 so as to determine the angle ofradiation of beams complying with the standard.

A further modification-of the projector is shown in FIG. in which likeparts are indicated by the same references as used in- FIG. 1 and adetailed description thereof is omitted. The frame 9 made of metal sheethas forwardly projecting portions 9d which are curved in such a manneras to surround the a lamp unit and a plurality of platforms 21 disposedon its surface facing to the'reflector 2, each said platform having asemi-circular sliding member 22 planted therein. Saidsemicirc'ularsliding member is made of synthetic resin. Similarly, the frame 9and thelamp unit are supported together in a mutually pressing relationship bythe adjusting screws12 and the coil spring of FIG. 4 or 9; The rotationof the adjusting screws 12 causes the reflector 2 to slidably move inengagement with the sliding members 22, making it possible to adjust theangle of radiation of beams to comply with the standard. The" number ofthe's'liding' members may be at least more than two.

The projector of the construction described can be used not only as theheadlight of an automobile, but also as one used for transportation andrailway purposes where alight source unit including a front lens and areflector as a unit body is used and wherethe axis of light should becontrolled, as in lamps of a sealed beam type or asemi-sealed type.

What we claim is:- v r l. A projector comprising: a sealed beam lampunit (1) includingz k,

a concave reflector (2) having a focus point; v a projection part (13)disposed at a predetermined position at the peripheraledge of said lampunit' 1 a light source disposed in the vicinity of the focus point ofsaid reflector (2); and g y Y s a front lens (3) mounted at the open endof said reflector a retaining ring (4) engaged with the peripheral edgeof said lamp unit l) and having a retaining piece 14) for engaging saidprojection part (13) for fixing the position thereof relative to saidprojection part l3), and a plurality of spaced supporting pieces (10,11) at the peripheral edge of said retaining ring (4);

a spring (16) coupled at one end to said retaining ring (4);

and

a synthetic resin frame (9) formed integrally with:

a plurality of threaded bores (9b) for receiving respective adjustingscrews;

a means (90) for retaining the other end of said spring (16); and' aplurality of projections (17) extending from said frame (9), eachprojection (17) having a'groove to define a pair of projecting sections,said groove having a width approximately equal to the thickness of saidframe (9), and said projecting sections having an arcuate surface forcontacting the rear surface of said reflector (2);

' said spring (16) resiliently urging said retaining ring (4) towardsaid frame (9); and said adjusting screws being rotatable in saidthreaded bores (9b) to adjust the axis of the light beam emitted by saidlamp unit l 2. A projector according to claim 1 wherein: said reflector(2) has a plurality of projection strips (19) on the rear outer surfacethereof; said frame (9) has at least one protuberance (20) therein at va location corresponding to the location of said strips (19), saidprotuberance (20) slidably contacting said strips (19); and

- said strips (19) have arcuate contact surfaces contacting I saidprotuberance (20).

3. A projector according to claim 2 wherein said protubev rance (20) isa bendin said frame (9).

1. A projector comprising: a sealed beam lamp unit (1) including: aconcave reflector (2) having a focus point; a projection part (13)disposed at a predetermined position at the peripheral edge of said lampunit (1); a light source disposed in the vicinity of the focus point ofsaid reflector (2); and a front lens (3) mounted at the open end of saidreflector (2); a retaining ring (4) engaged with the peripheral edge ofsaid lamp unit (1) and having a retaining piece (14) for engaging saidprojection part (13) for fixing the position thereof relative to saidprojection part (13), and a plurality of spaced supporting pieces (10,11) at the peripheral edge of said retaining ring (4); a spring (16)coupled at one end to said retaining ring (4); and a synthetic resinframe (9) formed integrally with: a plurality of threaded bores (9b) forreceiving respective adjusting screws; a means (9c) for retaining theother end of said spring (16); and a plurality of projections (17)extending from said frame (9), each projection (17) having a groove todefine a pair of projecting sections, said groove having a widthapproximately equal to the thickness of said frame (9), and saidprojecting sections having an arcuate surface for contacting the rearsurface of said reflector (2); said spring (16) resiliently urging saidretaining ring (4) toward said frame (9); and said adjusting screwsbeing rotatable in said threaded bores (9b) to adjust the axis of thelight beam emitted by said lamp unit (1).
 2. A projector according toclaim 1 wherein: said reflector (2) has a plurality of projection strips(19) on the rear outer surface thereof; said frame (9) has at least oneprotuberance (20) therein at a location corresponding to the location ofsaid strips (19), said protuberance (20) slidably contacting said strips(19); and said strips (19) have arcuate contact surfaces contacting saidprotuberance (20).
 3. A projector according to claim 2 wherein saidprotuberance (20) is a bend in said frame (9).